Commonwealth Policy Center

The bill to legalize slots at the racetracks is making its way through the state legislature. Senate Bill 120 passed the Licensing and Occupations Committee with a unanimous vote and will be voted on by the entire State Senate this week. The bill is controversial though. Critics have called it the greed and corruption Act. This is because the horse tracks have illegally operated casinos for 10 years during a court battle. The rule of law and the idea of sound public policy have been undermined. Horse racing is an already wealthy industry that doesn’t really need any help. Big Gambling preys on the hopes of Kentuckians. But in the end, it delivers big losses to thousands. And this is unconscionable for any state that considers itself a commonwealth.